Field-connectable cable cap with power indicator

ABSTRACT

A field-connectable cable cap for a heating cable in which the cable cap includes a power indicator that illuminates when sufficient power is supplied to the distal end of the heating cable. The indicator gives an installer or a user an indication that the heating cable is functioning properly the entire length of the heating cable. The cable cap may further include a connection feature, such as an aperture, that provides a connection point for a cable pulling device such as a fish tape.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/173,210 filed Apr. 9, 2021, entitled Cable Cap with Power Indicator, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the invention described herein are directed to improved heating cables for applications such as the prevention of ice dams on roofs and the prevention of pipe damage due to freezing. Ice dams occur in colder climates that are subjected to snowfall. Some roofs, especially those found on older homes, have uneven heat loss profiles. Heat from the interior of the home rises to the attic and escapes through the roof. Because heat rises, less heat escapes from the lower portions of the roof and especially over the overhanging eaves found on most homes.

If there has been significant snow accumulation on a roof, heat escaping through the roof melts the snow, causing the meltwater to run down the roof until it hits an area of the roof that has a lower temperature. If this area is cold enough, the water refreezes and accumulates as an ice dam.

Ice dams are problematic as they can cause water to pool behind the dam. The pooled water is often forced up under the shingles and into the structure below causing damage to a variety of materials including insulation, drywall, paint, flooring, windows, doors, cabinetry and more.

Heating cables are sometimes used to address chronic ice dam problems. A heating cable is arranged, usually in a serpentine pattern, near the lower edge of the roof, to create melted pathways through accumulated snow and ice for water to drain. These heating cables have a power connection end and a terminal end. During installation and use, it is difficult to determine whether the power is being delivered to the terminal end. One method used to verify proper cable operation is to supply power to the cable and feel if it is warm along its entire length. This method, however, is impractical or impossible in most applications because the cable may be high on a roof, hidden within a pipe, or otherwise inaccessible. As the cables are often more than 100 feet long, it is not uncommon that sufficient heating power is not delivered to the entire length of the cable due to line losses or damage to the cable along its path, etc. Regardless of cable length, if a cable becomes damaged during or after installation, a proximal portion of the cable may provide adequate heat but a remaining portion distal of the damaged may not receive sufficient power to provide adequate heating, if power is received at all. Moreover, damage to the jacketing on the cable can allow water ingress, rendering some or all of the heating cable useless. It would be desirable to provide a visual indication that power is reaching the distal end of the cable to verify the cable is operating correctly without adding unnecessary burdens or hazards to the property owner or installer.

Installing heating cable often involves pulling cable through tight spaces such as gutter downspouts and inside drainpipes. Installers use long, coiled metal devices called fish tape to pull electrical wiring such as heat cable through inaccessible areas including pipes and gutters. However, given the featureless terminal ends of most existing cables, it can be difficult to effectively connect the fish tape to the cable. Given the stiffness of the cables, significant force is sometimes required to pull the cable through a desired route. It would be advantageous to provide a cable having a terminal end with a feature that can be used to make a connection to a fish tape or similar device that can withstand significant pulling force.

Some attempts have been made to address the problems of providing an indicator of sufficient power to the end of a cable. One example is the RayClic-LE Lighted End Seal Kit for use with some cables produced by nVent Raychem. This solution provides a light attachable to the end of a cable but the design is bulky and thus can only be attached after the cable is installed. If damage occurs while the cable is being run, the damage is not discovered until after the cable routing is complete and the indicator is installed. This indicator also does not address the problem of connecting the heating cable to a fish tape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward a heating cable with a connectable end cap that includes a power indicator and a connection feature usable to provide a strong connection to a cable pulling mechanism such as a fish tape.

One aspect of the invention provides a cable with a terminal end having a power indicator in the form of an LED that illuminates when an acceptable level of power is sensed. The LED may be housed in a weatherproof enclosure within the cable and having windows on one or both sides such that light from the LED may be visible.

Another aspect of the invention is a cable with an aperture at its terminal end that passes through the cable and can be used to connect the cable to a cable pulling device such as a fish tape.

Still another aspect of the invention is a cable with both a power indicator in the form of an LED that illuminates when an acceptable level of power is sensed, and an aperture at its terminal end that passes through the cable and can be used to connect the cable to a cable pulling device such as a fish tape. The LED may be housed in a weatherproof enclosure within the cable and having windows on one or both sides such that light from the LED may be visible.

Yet another aspect of the invention is an end cap that is attachable to the end of a cable and includes a power indicator that is activated by electricity being carried by the cable.

Still another aspect of the invention is an end cap that is attachable to the end of a cable and defines an aperture that passes through the cap and can be used to connect the cable to a cable pulling device such as a fish tape.

Another aspect of the invention is a connectable end cap for a cable with both a power indicator in the form of an LED that illuminates when an acceptable level of power is sensed, and an aperture at its terminal end that passes through the end cap and can be used to connect the cable to a cable pulling device such as a fish tape. The LED may be housed in a weatherproof enclosure within the end cap and having windows on one or both sides such that light from the LED may be visible.

In one or more embodiments, the end caps described herein are attachable by an installer working in the field. The slim profile of the end caps allows the end caps to be attached to the cable before or after the cable has been installed.

In some embodiments, the end caps can be attached to existing heating cables, not originally intended for use with an illuminated end cap. In other embodiments, the end caps are configured to mate with a an end component that is molded or otherwise attached to the heating cable.

Yet another aspect of the device is that it is low-profile and closely matches the cross-sectional profile of the cable. This is desirable to allow running the cable through tight spaces as well as for aesthetics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention installed on a rooftop;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a prior art heating cable;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a disassembled cable cap according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an assembled cable cap according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5. is a perspective view of a disassembled cable cap according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an end view of component 30 of FIG. 5; and,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an end cap of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

Referring now to the Figures and first to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment 10 of a cable of the invention. The cable 10 has an elongate body 12 of selectable length that has a proximal end 14 including a power connection 16, either in the form of a plug, wire ends or other known power connections for connecting the cable 10 to a power supply such as an outlet, a breaker box, or the like. At a distal end 18, opposite the proximal end 14, there is an embodiment of a cable cap 20 of the invention. The features of the various embodiments of the cable cap 20 are shown in FIGS. 3-4.

As shown in FIG. 2, the heating cable body 12 may have a construction well-known in the art and will generally include a first conductor 13 separated from a second conductor 15 by a material 17 that heats up when electrical current passes through the material 17 between the conductors 13 and 15. The body is encased in a weather-proof, electrically insulating material 19 that allows heat to pass through it.

In at least one embodiment, the heating cable 12 is self-regulating cable that increases or decreases the amount of power being drawn from the power source to meet the demands of the weather conditions and the varying temperatures across the heating cable, as is known in the art. This is accomplished using a thermally reactive material 17 that houses the two wire conductors 13 and 15. Unlike most circuits, where a hot and a neutral wire are connected across one or more loads, either in series or in parallel, the conductors are not insulated and the material separating the conductors becomes the load. As the outside temperature decreases, the material shrinks and the resistance across the conductors is reduced, allowing more current to flow through the material. As the material heats up due to the increased current, the material expands again, increasing the resistance and regulating the amount of heat given off by the heating cable.

FIGS. 3-6 show two-piece embodiments 21 and 22 of the cable cap of the invention. These embodiments are identical except that embodiment 22 is shown with a connection feature in the form of an aperture 23 used for connecting the cap to a fish tape. The cable caps 21, 22 have a female component 30 and a male component 40. The components 30 and 40 are shown in a disconnected configuration in FIG. 3 and a connected configuration in FIG. 4.

The female component 30 may be formed on the end of the heated cable 10 during production or may be attached in the field. In one embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the female component 30 includes a crimp sleeve 32 at a proximal end 34 of the component 30, at a distal end 36 of the component 30, or both, that allows the component 30 to slide over a distal end of the heating cable 10 and attached by using a crimping tool or pliers to compress the sleeve 32 onto the heating cable body 12. In this embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 4, the proximal end 34 includes a port 38 for the heating cable body 12. Connectors 40 and 42 are positioned within the port 38 to receive conductors 15 and 13 of the heating cable 10.

The female component 30 includes a distal end 36 that has two receptacles 43 and 44 for receiving leads 53 and 54 of the male component 40, detailed below. As discussed above, the distal portion 36 may be constructed to be crimped once connected to the male component 50 to lock the two components together. One skilled in the art will also realize that a variety of clips, latches, adhesives, snaps, and other connecting methods may be used to attach the male component to the female component. In at least some embodiments, the distal male component is attached to the female component in a detachable fashion such that the male component can be easily replaced if the LED bulb needs replacement. Additionally, the female and male components may be combined into a single component that is attachable to a distal end of a heating cable using the methods and construction described above.

The male component 50 of embodiments 21 and 22 generally include male leads 53 and 54 that mate with receptacles 43 and 44 of the female component 30. The leads are electrically connected to an LED that is encased in a clear or translucent material to form power indicator 60. As is known in the art, a resistor (not shown) of appropriate size may be used, if necessary, between the power supply to the heating cable and the LED to reduce the voltage to a desired level. The resistor may alternatively be a component of the LED or bulb itself, or be omitted altogether, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The embodiments 21 and 22 generally include a power indicator 30, a connection feature 50, or both. The cable cap embodiment 22 has a cross-section that is shaped and sized to be flush, or only slightly larger than, a cross-section of the cable to which it is attached. FIG. 4 shows the cable cap embodiment 22 connected to a cable body 12 and the difference in dimensions are visible at the point 24 where the cable body 12 enters the cable cap embodiment 22. The cable cap embodiment 22 envelopes the cable body 12 and may have a relatively uniform thickness.

Another embodiment 300 is shown in FIG. 7 that pertains to a cable cap designed for field installation, rather than being molded in place during the production of the heating cable 12. An advantage of this embodiment is that, during installation of multiple cables, the installers can run heating cable off of a long spool, cutting the various lengths of the cable while on site. The cable caps 300 can then be clamped to the distal ends of the cables 12.

As seen in FIG. 7, the cable cap 300 has a hinged body 302. One side 304 of the hinged body 302 includes a power indicator 330 similar or identical in construction to the other power indicators already described herein except that the power indicator includes connector wires 340 and 342 that extend from the resistor and are used to connect the cable cap 300 to the power provided by the heating cable 12. This side 304 further includes penetrating leads in the form of spikes 344 and 346 that protrude perpendicularly from connector wires 340 and 342 that are constructed to penetrate the insulation of the heating cable and contact the conductors of the heating cable.

With the varying width dimension of self-regulating cables in mind, the spikes 344 and 346 are placed such that the apexes of the spikes will contact the wire conductors 340 and 342 over a potential range of temperatures. In this way, contact is not interrupted when the conductive core expands and contracts.

Once the cable cap 300 is crimped onto the cable 12, these penetrating spikes further serve to secure the cable cap 300 to the cable 12. This allows the connection feature 23 to be used without risk of the cable 12 becoming separated from the cable cap 300. This anchoring force may be bolstered by the addition of a pressure-sensitive adhesive, for example, applied to mating surface where the cable cap 300 contacts the cable 12 and is activated when the cable cap 300 is crimped onto the cable 12 to create a permanent bond.

Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A power indicator cap for a heating cable comprising: a power indicator that illuminates when connected to a distal end of a heating cable that has been connected to a power source at a proximal end of the heating cable; an attachment mechanism that allows the power indicator to be electrically connected to the distal end of the heating cable; a connection feature configured to interact with a corresponding connection feature of a cable pulling device.
 2. The power indicator cap of claim 1 wherein the power indicator comprises an LED.
 3. The power indicator cap of claim 1 further comprising a female component and a male component.
 4. The power indicator cap of claim 1 wherein the connection feature comprises an aperture.
 5. The power indicator cap of claim 4 wherein the aperture extends through the cable cap.
 6. The power indicator cap of claim 3 wherein the female component comprises at least one receptacle.
 7. The power indicator cap of claim 3 wherein the male component comprises at least one lead.
 8. The power indicator cap of claim 6 further including a crimp sleeve.
 9. The power indicator cap of claim 1 further comprising a hinged body shaped to receive the distal end of the heating cable and having two spikes that penetrate the heating cable when crimped to form an electrical connection with corresponding conductor wires within the heating cable, the spikes transferring power from the conductor wires of the heating cable to the power indicator.
 10. A method of verifying electrical power is being supplied to a distal end of a heating cable comprising: connecting a power indicator cap to a distal end of a length of heating cable between a proximal end and a distal end; routing the heating cable from a power supply to a desired location using an aperture formed in the power indicator cap to connect the heating cable to a cable pulling device; connecting the heating cable to the power supply; verifying electrical power is reaching the power indicating cap by observing illumination of an indicator light on the power indicator cap.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein connecting a power indicator cap to the distal end of the length of heating cable comprises placing conductors of the heating cable into corresponding connectors of the power indicator cap.
 12. The method of claim 11 further comprising crimping the power indicator cap onto the distal end of the length of heating cable.
 13. The method of claim 10 wherein connecting a power indicator cap to the distal end of the length of heating cable comprises placing conductors of the heating cable into corresponding connectors of a female component of a power indicator cap.
 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising plugging a male component into the female component.
 15. The method of claim 10 wherein connecting a power indicator cap to the distal end of the length of heating cable comprises placing conductors of the heating cable into corresponding connectors of a female component of a power indicator cap. 